Germany’s armed forces, the Bundeswehr, has awarded Airbus the SATCOMBw 3 prime contract for the next generation, secure, military satellite system that includes geostationary satellites as well as ground segment, launch and operation services for 15 years. The spacecraft are due to be deployed before the end of the decade and the contract value amounts to 2.1 billion euros.

The contract covers the design, integration, test and on-orbit delivery of two, new, Airbus built ,military GEO telecommunications satellites that are the successor communications satellites to COMSATBw 1B and 2B. The contract also includes upgrading of the existing ground segment to operate the new satellites as well as operational services for 15 years, with the possibility of extension.

The new generation Airbus satellites are based on the Eurostar Neo platform and will weigh around 6 metric tons. They will have extensive capabilities to keep pace with the rapid changes in digitization and the constantly increasing volume of data transfer required. They will also feature the latest state of the art technologies. 

A key element of the overall contract is an in-depth German value chain involving partners such as Bremen-based OHB and numerous smaller German companies. Central elements including the guidance and integration of the advanced payloads, the solar arrays and overall operation of the spacecraft will be from Germany. 

The Bundeswehr’s satellite communications system (SATCOMBw) is indispensable for autonomous and independently deployable communications and information services. It ensures the global command and information capability of the German armed forces, such as operational contingents and special forces. The SATCOMBw 3 project also aims to ensure that NATO’s North Atlantic Treaty Organisation commitments in this area will continue to be met in the future. With SATCOMBw 3, the Bundeswehr is responding to increased user requirements.

Michael Schoellhorn, CEO of Airbus Defence and Space, said, “After the success of the SATCOMBw Stage 2 program, which we have been delivering since 2009, this latest contract reinforces our strategic partnership with the Bundeswehr, providing them with a greatly enhanced secure milsatcom capability that is future proofed into the 2040s. At a time when Western democracies are challenged and where the European institutional space ecosystem is struggling, we are excited and grateful to develop and build this leading-edge system. Long term partnerships are crucial to guaranteeing essential sovereignty and capability, and protecting our armed forces in the increasingly unstable geo-political environment.”

Airbus built Copernicus Sentinel-2C climate satellite heading for launch site

After road transport from Airbus in Friedrichshafen to Bremen, Germany, on July 2nd, the Airbus-built Sentinel-2C satellite, the third Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellite, is about to be shipped to the European spaceport in French Guiana.

The container has been loaded onto the iconic Canopée, the first sail-assisted cargo ship designed specifically to transport Ariane 6 rocket components from European ports to the Guiana Space Centre in Kourou, where it will arrive in approximately two weeks.

Data collected by the Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellites is being used to monitor land use and change, soil sealing, land management, agriculture, forestry, natural disasters (floods, forest fires, landslides, volcanic eruptions and erosion) and to support humanitarian aid missions. Environmental monitoring, which provides information on the pollution of lakes and coastal waters, is also part of these activities, as is the monitoring of glaciers, ice and snow.

The Sentinel-2 mission contributes to the management of food security by providing information for the agricultural sector. Copernicus Sentinel-2, with its multispectral instrument, is the first optical Earth Observation (EO) mission of its kind to include three bands in the “red edge“, which provide key information on vegetation conditions. The satellite is designed to provide images that can be used to distinguish between different crop types, as well as data on numerous plant indices such as leaf area index, leaf chlorophyll content and leaf water content – all of which are essential for accurately monitoring plant growth.

Sentinel-2C, like its predecessors Sentinel-2A and -2B, will provide “color vision” for Copernicus, the EO component of the EU Space Program, generating optical images from the visible to the shortwave infrared region of the electromagnetic spectrum. From an altitude of 786 kilometers, the 1.1 ton ‘C’ satellite will provide continuous imaging in 13 spectral bands with resolutions of 10, 20 or 60 meters and a uniquely large swath width of 290 kilometres. The optical design of the MultiSpectral Instrument (MSI) has been optimised to provide state-of-the-art image data quality over its very wide field of view, to be transmitted via Airbus’ laser-based SpaceDataHighway (EDRS).

The telescope structure and mirrors are made of Silicon Carbide, a material pioneered by Airbus to provide very high optical stability and minimize thermo-elastic deformation, resulting in excellent geometric image quality. This is unprecedented in this category of optical imagers. Each Sentinel-2 satellite collects 1.5 terabytes per day after on-board compression. 

The Sentinel-2 mission is based on a constellation of two identical satellites, Sentinel-2A (launched in 2015) and Sentinel-2B (launched in 2017), flying in the same orbit but 180° apart to optimize coverage and revisit time. The satellites orbit the Earth every 100 minutes, covering all land surfaces, large islands, inland and coastal waters every five days. Once in orbit, Sentinel-2C will replace its predecessor, Sentinel-2A, while Sentinel-2D will later replace Sentinel-2B to ensure continuity of data beyond 2035.

The Sentinel-2 mission has been made possible through close cooperation among the European Commission, ESA, industry, service providers and data users. Some 60 companies have been involved in its development, led by Airbus Defence and Space in Germany.

Airbus has played a key role in building the satellites and instruments for Copernicus since the program began in 1998, contributing its environmental expertise to all six Sentinel missions and the new next-generation Copernicus satellites: CRISTAL, LSTM and ROSE-L.

The Sentinel satellites are part of Copernicus, the EO component of the EU Space Program, managed by the European Commission (EC) in partnership with the European Space Agency (ESA). The Copernicus Sentinels provide remote sensing data of the Earth, providing key operational services related to the environment and security.

Pre-launch activities will be carried out in Kourou to prepare Copernicus Sentinel-2C for launch on the final Vega rocket operated by Arianespace in September.

“About half of the data used to assess and monitor the impact of climate change on Earth is actually delivered by satellites,” said Marc Steckling, Head of Earth Observation, Science and Exploration at Airbus. “The Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellites have provided valuable climate information to scientists since 2015 and Sentinel-2C will ensure continuity. Additionally, they have also made monitoring marine litter from space a reality, a significant achievement considering how critical this issue has become.”

BAE Systems Digital Intelligence has established a new, integrated, Space Leadership Team and business unit.

Headed up by our newly appointed Director of Space, Doug Liddle, the team will bring together experienced senior leaders from across BAE Systems Digital Intelligence and In-Space Missions to advance our space strategy and deliver innovation in space for advantage on Earth.

Space technology helps us achieve incredible things. Scientists are making ground-breaking discoveries about the universe at a rapid pace – illustrated recently when the European Space Agency found water frost on Mars’ huge volcanoes. Back on Earth, space capability is becoming a core requirement for our customers across government, defence and commercial sectors in order to protect citizens, defend nations, predict natural disasters and more.

However, the importance of space to society is by no means new. For a long time now, technologies such as satellites have been interwoven everyone’s daily lives – take GPS in phones as just one example. At BAE Systems, the company has a long heritage of working in the sector. Over the past 20 years, the firm has delivered complex defence programs to help create a secure space domain, developing specialist technologies in waveforms, electronics, antennas and digital signal processing analytics.

Today, BAE Systems is committed to further investing in space capabilities. In 2021, when BAE Systems acquired In-Space Missions – the company Liddle co-founded back in 2015 – the aim was to bring together this existing space expertise with In-Space Missions’ capabilities, enabling us to work together to design, build and operate full satellites.

In-Space Missions has been a part of BAE Systems Digital Intelligence since the company’s formation in 2022, and two talented teams have collaborated closely on Azalea – this program will launch a cluster of multi-sensor satellites into LEO, with the ability to deliver high-quality information and intelligence to Earth in real time.

A key part of our focus will be to continue driving our Azalea programme at a pivotal stage of its delivery. As Earth Observation (EO) data becomes central to providing our customers with a digital advantage, Azalea will enable us to deliver space-derived intelligence securely, anywhere in the world.

Azalea’s capabilities recognise the growing importance of space to defence, aligning with the UK Government’s Defence Space Strategy which underlines the integral role of the space domain in achieving multi-domain integration. And while our top priority is supporting UK defence with sovereign space capability, the cluster will also be dual use, meaning it can be leveraged for wider EO use cases such as environmental monitoring.

The company plans to expand on radio frequency data collection and mapping capability in the near future to provide customers with an even greater level of intelligence.

The firm will also work to advance wider space capabilities. Examples include:

• Faraday Dragon: Our Asia-Pacific regional satellite rideshare mission, which involves building a satellite with the ability to carry multiple payloads for organisations in the region. This means that several agencies or businesses can carry their technology on one spacecraft to achieve different goals in areas like agriculture, maritime and connectivity. 
• Tracking, Telemetry and Command Processor (TTCP): The next generation technology for ground station signal processing, TTCP allows the European Space Agency to track, communicate and control the Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer, known as ‘Juice’, on its eight year journey from Earth to Callisto, Europa and Ganymede. 
• Software defined payloads: Satellites that can be upgraded while in orbit for an enhanced lifespan and greater mission flexibility. 
• Ground station expertise: Currently being installed at the Great Baddow office, we have the ability to send and receive data to our satellites on-orbit. 

Intelsat has signed a contract for a Starfish Otter servicing vehicle to provide life extension services to an Intelsat GEO satellite, starting in 2026 — this agreement reinforces Intelsat’s commitment to using satellite servicing technologies to maximize the value the company’s satellites can provide to customers and will mark Starfish’s first mission to provide Otter services to a commercial satellite operator.

Intelsat signed their first agreement for satellite life extension in 2016 and has procured multiple additional life extension missions during recent years. The contract between Intelsat and Starfish represents a significant step for both companies, expanding the market for satellite servicing, and pushing the industry towards a new paradigm for satellite operations.

With its Otter spacecraft, Starfish Space use a small satellite architecture and breakthrough hardware and software technologies to provide rapid, flexible, and cost-effective on-orbit servicing missions for satellites.

Starfish will begin its first servicing mission for Intelsat in 2026. Initially, Otter will dock with and maneuver a retired Intelsat satellite in geostationary graveyard orbit. Following this initial operation, Otter will proceed to dock with and provide life extension service to an operational Intelsat satellite, using its onboard propulsion system to keep the client satellite in operational orbit for additional years of life. 

“For six decades, Intelsat has shown commitment to innovation and leveraging new technologies from throughout the industry,” said Jean-Luc Froeliger, Intelsat’s Senior Vice President of Space Systems. “By engaging with emerging ventures, we create unique value for Intelsat while fostering a dynamic and competitive environment that drives advancement in space systems. Starfish is the perfect example of this kind of progress, and we look forward to utilizing the services provided by their Otter satellite to maximize the value the world’s largest geostationary satellite fleet can deliver for our customers.”

“Starfish Space is delighted to be supporting Intelsat with services provided by Otter,” said Dr. Trevor Bennett, Co-Founder of Starfish Space. “They are an incredible team at the forefront of the industry and the Otter will help them deliver even more to their customers. We’re also excited that this will be the first of many Otters that will make on-orbit servicing a standard part of satellite operations.”

Ovzon will deliver its integrated SATCOM-as-a-Service solution, including mobile satellite terminals On-The-Pause and On-The-Move, capacity on the high-performing Ovzon 3 satellite, teleport service, and 24/7 dedicated service and support, to a key French government agency tasked with providing security for the 2024 Summer Games.

The Groupe d’intervention de la Gendarmerie nationale (GIGN) will be on the highest alert at multiple locations around France to ensure the security of the Summer Games. Ovzon’s proprietary new satellite, Ovzon 3, will be a key enabler of GIGN’s critical missions, providing trusted, resilient connectivity throughout the Summer Games.

“Ovzon’s advanced mobile satellite terminals and high-performing satellite will support different scenarios and users around the Paris area. Ovzon’s technology and experience is a great match for our needs, and we are looking forward to implementing their SATCOM-as-a-Service,” said General Ghislain Réty, GIGN Commander.

“This is a perfect opportunity to demonstrate the capabilities of our new satellite, Ovzon 3, and the full range of our SATCOM-as-a-Service solutions. We fully appreciate the importance of this mission, and Ovzon’s guaranteed satellite connectivity for both mobile and fixed applications is up to the task,” said Orson Storar, VP of Sales Europe at Ovzon.

Per Norén, CEO of Ovzon, said, “It is our great honor to support this well-renowned French government agency. We are 100% dedicated to supporting their mission-critical requirements for uninterrupted resilient connectivity in Paris this summer.”

Alba Orbital is set to embark on its 8th orbital mission campaign, integrating seven PocketQube satellites from six different countries in preparation for their sold-out flight on-board SpaceX’s Transporter-12 Rideshare mission scheduled for lift off on a Falcon 9 rocket this October.

The satellites will be integrated into Alba Orbital’s PocketQube Deployer, ‘AlbaPod’, at their new facilities in Hillington Industrial Estate, Glasgow, the world’s first PocketQube factory. After integration, the cluster of pocket-sized satellites will be shipped out to SpaceX before hitching a ride to LEO.

PocketQubes are highly miniaturized satellites, typically 5 cm cubed per unit (‘P’), that can be launched to orbit for as little as 25K euros via Alba Orbital’s rideshare services. PocketQubes offer numerous advantages over traditional satellites. They are cost-effective, quicker to build, and provide versatile options for a variety of missions ranging from educational projects to advanced technological demonstrations.

Here’ are the PocketQube satellites manifested to fly on Alba Orbital’s 8th launch campaign:

SKYLINK-1 & SKYLINK-2 – Hello

Space, Türkiye:  

SKYLINK-1 and SKYLINK-2 are the newest additions to Hello Space’s IoT Pico-satellite series. These identical 3P (5x5x15cm) PocketQubes operate together as part of a wider fleet of picosats, delivering global IoT data services via LoRaWAN network. 

HYPE AGH – AGH University, Poland:  

HYPE AGH is a 1P PocketQube by SatLab AGH, a student club from AGH University of Science and Technology in Krakow, and the first PocketQube from Poland. It features a UV-VIS spectroscope to analyze light pollution, volcanic ash, and forest degradation, plus a camera and OLED screen for “space selfies” with Earth in the background. This project offers students valuable experience and serves as a scientific and educational tool. 

PROMETHEUS-1 – Universidade do Minho (Portugal), Instituto Superior Técnico (Port.), and Carnegie Mellon University (USA):  

PROMETHEUS-1 is an open-source, 1P PocketQube developed by Universidade do Minho, Instituto Superior Técnico, and Carnegie Mellon University under the “PROMETHEUS” project. Funded by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology, this initiative aims to enhance research and educational access to space. 

POQUITO – Snt University of Luxembourg, Luxembourg: 

“PocketQube for In Orbit Technology Operations” (POQUITO) is the first PocketQube mission by the Interdisciplinary Center of Security, Reliability, and Trust (SnT) at the University of Luxembourg. This tiny 5cm³ 1P satellite hosts an even smaller 5×5×0.2 cm satellite the size of a computer chip. POQUITO aims to test inter-satellite communications between a PocketQube and a ‘Chipsat’ via LED in visible light and transmit a CW beacon to Earth to promote Luxembourgish space activities for radio amateurs. 

HADES-R – Hydra Space Systems, Spain:  

HADES-R (AKA ‘SmartSat’) is a 1.5p PocketQube by Hydra Space Systems S.L., and operated by AMSAT-EA. Its primary objectives are to serve as an FM repeater for global radio amateur communications and to test an experimental low-power graphene radiator payload developed by SmartIR, a spin-out from the University of Manchester’s Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre. 

HYDRA-T – Hydra Space Systems, Spain:  

HYDRA-T is a 1.5P PocketQube mission, also developed and operated by Madrid-based Hydra Space Systems and AMSAT-EA, that will offer commercial communication capabilities. This will be achieved by implementing an SDR based FM and FSK repeater. UHF and VHF bands will be used for downlink and uplink respectively. An educational payload is also included. 

“Our team is thrilled to support an international array of PocketQubes, showcasing the diverse applications and innovations enabled by these small but powerful satellites,” said Tom Walkinshaw, CEO of Alba Orbital. “These missions not only highlights the advancements in satellite technology but also our commitment to making space more accessible and affordable.”

Alba Orbital (UK, USA, Germany) is the world’s leading PocketQube company that has delivered 41 pico-satellites on-orbit to date. Alba is a vertically integrated NewSpace company ‘democratising access to space’, providing turnkey solutions from advanced pico-satellite platforms, low-cost launch opportunities, and ground station services. Alba has worked with over 30 customers across three continents, including prestigious clients such as Stanford University, Carnegie Mellon University and TU Delft.

On Friday, June 28 at 8:14 p.m. PT, Falcon 9 launched the NROL-186 mission from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.

This was the eighth flight for the first stage booster supporting this mission, which previously launched Crew-7, CRS-29, PACE, Transporter-10, EarthCARE, and two Starlink missions.

The satellite’s structure follows the NRO’s new concept of space architecture by using many smaller satellites to create constellations that will insure resistance from attacks.

The National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) is a member of the United States Intelligence Community and an agency of the United States Department of Defense which designs, builds, launches, and operates the reconnaissance satellites of the U.S. federal government, and provides satellite intelligence to several government agencies, particularly signals intelligence (SIGINT) to the NSA, imagery intelligence (IMINT) to the NGA, and measurement and signature intelligence (MASINT) to the DIA.

SpaceX Falcon 9 ready to roll out the NROL-186 mission on Friday

SpaceX is targeting Friday, June 28 for a Falcon 9 launch of the NROL-186 mission from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The two-hour launch window opens at 8:14 p.m. PT. If needed, a backup opportunity is available on Saturday, June 29 starting at 8:00 p.m. PT. The cost is $69.75 million.

The mission will release a satellite into Earth’s orbit in efforts to increase “space-based intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance,” according to a National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) April press release.

The satellite’s structure follows the NRO’s new concept of space architecture by using many smaller satellites to create constellations that will insure resistance from attacks.

The National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) is a member of the United States Intelligence Community and an agency of the United States Department of Defense which designs, builds, launches, and operates the reconnaissance satellites of the U.S. federal government, and provides satellite intelligence to several government agencies, particularly signals intelligence (SIGINT) to the NSA, imagery intelligence (IMINT) to the NGA, and measurement and signature intelligence (MASINT) to the DIA.

A live webcast of this mission will begin about 10 minutes prior to liftoff, which you can watch here and on X @SpaceX.

This is the eighth flight for the first stage booster supporting this mission, having previously launched Crew-7, CRS-29, PACE, Transporter-10, EarthCARE, and two Starlink missions. Following stage separation, the first stage will land on the Of Course I Still Love You droneship, which will be stationed in the Pacific Ocean.

Sateliot has successfully integrated its satellite communication stack with Leaf Space‘s Ground Segment as a Service (GSaaS) Network.

This milestone is crucial for the upcoming Transporter-11 mission by SpaceX, during which Sateliot will launch four, new, 6U satellites to further global 5G IoT connectivity. Leaf Space’s GSaaS ensures that Sateliot’s constellation can scale efficiently, providing redundancy and robust support for continuous operations.

The distributed network of 23 ground stations worldwide supports more than 100 satellites, offering seamless coverage and reliability. By using Leaf Space’s network as a 5G point of presence, Sateliot aims to revolutionize IoT connectivity, allowing seamless switching from terrestrial to satellite networks with unmodified commercial devices.

This partnership underscores the strength of the European space ecosystem, with both companies leveraging their expertise to drive innovation and connectivity on a global scale.

Upon launch, the new 6U satellites will establish contact using Leaf Space’s on-orbit check-in service during the Launch and Early Orbit Phase (LEOP). This service ensures reliable communication from deployment, leveraging Leaf Space’s geographically diverse network.

“We are thrilled to support Sateliot’s 5G NB-IoT satellites in orbit,” said Jonata Puglia, CEO of Leaf Space. “Our global network is performing at its full potential and is ready to support satellites during the upcoming Transporter-11 launch and the commencement of their IoT services. It is a remarkable progress for the Space ecosystem in Europe. We are demonstrating end-to-end services that ensure seamless global IoT connectivity, showcasing the power of collaboration and technological advancement within our industry.”

Wyvern is expanding their Dragonette constellation by using Loft’s network of satellites for the collection of large volumes of hyperspectral data.

Building on a 2023 partnership, Wyvern is expanding their Dragonette constellation, leveraging Loft’s space infrastructure as a service model to rapidly and reliably enhance its constellation’s capacity to meet the growing needs of hyperspectral customers. 

By expanding the Dragonette constellation, Wyvern can serve a broader range of customers and use cases, including agriculture and environmental monitoring, mining prospecting, defense and disaster management. The expanded constellation not only increases data volume and coverage but also ensures improved revisit rates while providing the data with greater reliability and precision.

Loft will operate Wyvern’s missions onboard its space infrastructure, made up of satellites. The hyperspectral imager is one of the sensing resources available, and facilitates the operations that serve Wyvern’s expanded constellation.

Loft’s space infrastructure includes resources such as video, thermal and wide-swath imagers as well as RF payloads. Each spacecraft also incorporates onboard compute and connectivity resources to use in tandem with the sensing resources to enable real time analysis of data collected for low-latency applications. These high-performance satellite platforms enable rapid and affordable access to novel datasets, such as hyperspectral imagery.

“Adding additional capacity to our constellation enables Wyvern to better serve our growing customer base,” said Wyvern’s Chief Revenue Officer, Thomas VanMatre. “Loft takes care of the infrastructure so that we can focus on what matters most to our customers.”

“We’re excited to support Wyvern’s mission by providing access to high-quality hyperspectral data,” said Gautier Brunet, VP of Business Development at Loft Orbital. “Our infrastructure is designed to provide a rapid and simple path to orbit, enabling companies like Wyvern to focus on data and analytics rather than the complexities of deploying and operating a large space project.”